The Making of Scenarios of Power

Abstract: Scenarios of Power made waves when it first appeared three decades ago, and it continues to influence the field of Imperial Russian and Soviet history today. It offers a theory of how Russia’s autocrats signaled their priorities, conceptions of power, and power itself to their entourage, by staging rituals and ceremonies. Controversy surrounded the question of how many people—and who exactly—participated in the theater of power. This essay looks back at the reception of both volumes, finding that numerous readers misinterpreted Wortman’s claims. It seeks clarity by revisiting the historical and anthropological literature that inspired Wortman and by excavating his key concepts, notably “scenario” and “myth.”